Ossian Collection > Poems of Ossian

DAR-THUI,A. 385
father, my brother is fallen ! Silence dwells on
Selama. Sadness spreads on the blue streams
of my land. My friends have fallen with Cor-
mac. The mighty were slain in the battles of
Erin. Hear, son of Usnoth ! hear, O Nathos !
my tale of grief.
• Evening darkened on the plain. The blue
streams failed before mine eyes. The unfre-
quent blast came rustling in the tops of Selama's
groves. My seat was beneath a tree, on the
walls of my fathers. Truthil past before my
soul ; the brother of my love : he that was ab-
sent in battle against the haughty Cairbar ! Bend-
ing on his spear, the gray haired Colla came.
His downcast face is dark, and sorrow dwells in
his soul. His sword is on the side of the hero;
the helmet of his fathers on his head. The
battle grows in his breast. Pie strives to hide
the tear.
' " Dar-thula, my daughter," he said, " thou
art the last of CoUa's race ! Truthil is fallen in
battle. The chief of Selama is no more ! Cair-
bar comes, with his thousands, towards Selama ,
walls. Colla will meet his pride, and revenge
his son. But where shall I find thy safety, Dar-
thula, with the dark-brown hair I thou art lovely
as the sun-beam of heaven, and thy friends are
low !" " Is the son cf battle fallen ?" I said, with
a bursting sigh. " Ceased the generous soul of
Truthil to lighten through the field ? My safety,
Colla, is in that bow. I have learned to pierce
the deer. Is not Cairbar like the hart of the
desert, father of fallen Truthil ?'
« The face of age brightened with joy. The
crowded tears of his eyes poured down. The
lips of Colla trembled. His gi-ay beard whistled
in the blast. " Thou art the sister of Truthil,''
he said ; " thou burnest in the fire of his soul.
Take, Dar-thula, take that spear, thit brazen